Spinner for sand cleaning apparatus



Jan. 3, 1961 c. E. WENNINGER 2,966,710

SPINNER FOR SAND CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 25, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y n 1'7 5 l W IN VE N TOR.

AT TORNEVS.

Jan. 3, 1961 c. E. WENNINGER SPINNER FOR SAND CLEANING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1957' INVENTOR.

M M ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent SPINNER FOR SAND CLEANING APPARATUS Clifford E. Wenninger, River Forest, 111.

Filed Feb. 25, 1957, Ser. No. 642,126

10 Claims. (CI. 22-89) This invention relates to a spinner for sand cleaning apparatus and more particularly to a compressed air operated spinner for circulating and scrubbing sand or like granular material.

In my co-pending application Serial No. 592,199, filed June 18, 1956, now Patent No. 2,861,304, granted November 25, 1958, there is disclosed and claimed a sand cleaning system in which the sand is caused to circulate by compressed air and is scrubbed clean in spinners and in other parts of the apparatus. One of the major problems with apparatus of this type and in any apparatus in which sand or the like is carried by a fluid stream is Wear on the parts caused by the flow of sand thereover acting much like a sand blasting device. Another problem is to effect scrubbing of the sand in a short period of time and in a minimum space sufficiently to loosen therefrom foreign materials such as burned oil, clays, and the like.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a spinner for sand cleaning apparatus in which wear on the parts is minimized and the sand is effectively scrubbed rapidly and in a small space.

Another object is to provide a spinner in which the major impact of the circulating air and sand is taken by a loose mass of sand thereby eliminating wear on the apparatus and increasing the scrubbing efiect.

According to one feature of the invention, the spinner comprises a rectangular casing with an outlet opening in the center of its top, sand inlet openings in its adjacent opposite corners and horizontal air inlet conduits beneath said inlet openings to direct air parallel to a side wall of the casing. In this apparatussand tends to pile up in the corners so that the stream of sand and air produced by the blast of air entering the casing is directed into and over the loose mass of sand which not only protects the casing parts, but increases the scrubbing effect at the surface of the mass.

According to another feature of the invention, guide walls are provided in the casing spaced from the side walls thereof and with the sand and air inlets opening into the spaces between the guide walls and the adjacent casing side walls.

According to still another feature, the casing is provided with a vertical air inlet in its bottom beneath the top outlet opening to free the unit in the event of clogging.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a partial front elevation of a sand cleaning apparatus equipped with a spinner embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a partial side elevation;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the spinner;

Figure 4 is a side view of the spinner with parts in section; and

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the spinner with the cover removed illustrating the action.

The spinner of the present invention is adapted to be used with a sand cleaning system of the type more particularly described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 592,199, as partially illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. As shown in these figures, the apparatus comprises an upper housing 10 formed with an inlet 11 for sand to be cleaned and an outlet 12 for cleaned sand. As explained in my co-pending application, a plurality of twospinner units, as illustrated, may be connected in cascade so that the sand may be cleaned through as many passes as desirable.

In operation of the unit, a mixture of sand and air is directed upwardly into the housing through vertical pipes 13 which direct the mixture toward impact or scrubbing baflles in the housing. Air and fines are separated from the sand in the housing and are removed from the upper part of the casing, the sand recirculated downwardly through pipes 14 into spinners indicated generally at 15. The sand flowing downward through the pipes 14 is mixed with air in the spinners and is scrubbed to rise again through the pipes 13 into the housing. The entire unit may be supported by a fabricated framework 16 having uprights on which the housing is supported and cross members 17 in the form of conventional L-beams near the lower part of the framework on which the spinners are mounted.

Each spinner, as best seen in Figures 3, 4 and 5, comprises a rectangular casing 18 formed of relatively heavy gauge sheet metal on the order of one-eighth to onequarter inch thick. As best seen in Figure 5, the casing may be formed of two strips of metal bent at right angles at their centers with their ends secured together as by welding or the like to define a rectangular casing member open at its top and bottom.

The top and bottom of the casing are closed by top plate 19 and bottom plate 21 which may be flat steel plates rectangular in outline. The plates 19 and 21 are secured over the top and bottom of the casing with gaskets 22 interposed therebetween to eifect a fluid-tight seal. One convenient means of securing the casing parts together, as illustrated, is by means of C-clamps 23 spanning the edges of the casing and drawn tightly thereagainst by screws 24. The C-clamps, as illustrated in Figure 4, may also be utilized to secure the casings to the cross members 17 of the frame.

The top of the casing is formed with a central outlet opening 25 which is preferably circular in form and carries an annular collar 26 which may be welded or otherwise suitably secured to the casing top to project upward therefrom around the outlet opening. The collar 26 is of larger diameter than the outlet opening, as seen in Figure 3, so that a portion of the casing top projects inward from the collar.

The casing top is adapted to support a cone member 27 which may be formed of cast iron or the like to receive the mixture of sand and air flowing through the outlet opening and to direct it upward into the pipe 13. As shown, the cone member is of a size to fit loosely into the collar 26 so that a seal 28, such as a conventional 0- ring, can fit tightly therebetween and tapers upwardly to terminate in an annular internal seat 29 on which the lower. end of the pipe 13 may rest. The major part of the wear will occur imediately after the sand and air mixture leaves the spinner while it is still spinning at a high rate of speed and is taken by the cone member 27. With the construction as shown the cone member is relatively inexpensive and can easily be replaced simply by raising the pipe 13 and lifting the cone member out of the collar 26 so that in the event of wear of the cone member it can be replaced easily and inexpensively.

The pipes 14 are connected to tubular spuds 31 secured to the top of the casing adjacent the opposite corners thereof. As shown, the casing top is provided with a partially circular projection "32 at opposite sides to which the spuds are secured so-that--they will centrally communicate with sand inlet openings 33 formed in opposite corners of the casing top. Preferably, the sand inlet openings are controlled by"sliding 'valve-plates 34- which are supported beneath the casingtop by screws 35 extending through slots-36 in the casing-top-so that the plates can he slid to cover more or less the inlet openings thereby to control their eifective size.

tively short blast of air through the conduit 38uwill clear the casing and blow-the sand up the-pipefi sothat the spinner can operate properly.

To cause circulation of sand entering the casing through theinlet openings 33, air inlet conduits 39 communicate 'with the opposite sides of the casing beneath the opening 33 and direct a blast of air into the casing parallel to the remaining sides of the casing. To insure proper swirling of the sand and air mixture in the casing so that the sand will be effectively scrubbed before it is carried out the outlet opening guiding walls 41 are provided in the casing parallel to the side walls along which the air flows and the sand and air inlet openings communicate with the space between the guiding walls 41 and the adjacent side walls of the casing. These guiding walls tend to prevent the sand and air mixture from flowing directly to the outlet opening and insure adequate swirling of the mixture in the casing before flowing out the outlet.

Operation of the spinner will be best understood by reference to Figure which illustrates the action of the sand during spinner operation. As sand flows into the inlet openings 33, which are shown in dotted lines in Figure 5, it will be picked up by the air flowing horizontally into the casing through the air connections 39 and carried in a counterclockwise. direction around the casing parallel to thetop and bottom side walls, as seen in Figure 5. it has been found that during operation of the spinner the sand tends to accumulate in a relatively thin layer along the sides of the casing, as shown at 42, to protect the casing side walls. In the corners adjacent to the air inlet connections the sand tends to pile up, as shown at 4- 3, in a loose mass filling the corners of the casing and also filling the corners defined between the side walls of the casing and the guiding walls 41 in a more or less spiral configuration, as illustrated. The impact of the moving sand and air mixture is therefore taken by the accumulated loose mass of sand and mixes with the sand at the surface of the mass to provide a very effective scrubbing action of one sand grain against another. Furthermore, the loose mass of sand fully protects the casing walls so that wear is minimized if not completely eliminated to give the unit a long life.

The sand and air mixture entering the casing will follow more or less the direction of the large arrows 44 in a swirl around the interior of the casing and over the surface of the loose mass of sand therein until at a point approximately opposite to the inner ends of the partition walls 4d which terminate centrally of the casing where the major part of the air and sand mixture will fiow into and through the outlet opening. Some small. portion of the air and sand mixture will tend to break off and flow into the outlet opening throughout the periphery thereof as indicated by the-small arrows 45, However, we have found that the major part of the mixture will complete at least 186 oftravel in the casing and that some portion thereof will tend to continue circulating around. This length of travel of the mixture over the surface of the loose mass of sand in the casing produces a very efiective scrubbingin a relatively small space so thatthe sand can be efiiciently cleaned with a minimum amount of apparatus.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown illustrative only and not to be taken as a definition of the scope of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A spinner for sand cleaning apparatus comprising a rectangular casing, an-outlettopening in the central portion of the casing top, an inlet opening for sand in the top of-the casing adjacent to the juncture of two of the sides, means to-supply-sand bygravity to the inlet opening to drop by gravity into the casing, a horizontal inlet for air in one of said twosides'dischargingparallel to the other of said two sides. tocause sand to swirl around in the casing, there being no air'inlet adjacent to the juncture of certain other of the sides whereby sand will build up in the angle of such sides to cushion and scrub the circulating sand, and a guiding wall connected at one .end to said one of said two sides, and parallel to and spaced from the other of said two sides and beingrshorter than said other of said two sides, the air and sand inlet openings opening into the space between the guiding wall and said other of said two sides.

2. The spinner of claim 1 includinga cone tapering inwardly above the outlet opening communicating directly with the outlet opening at its lower end. and receiving air and sand flowing upward through the outlet opening.

3. A spinner for sand cleaning apparatus comprising a rectangular casing, an outlet opening in the. central portion of the casing top, an inlet opening for sandjn the top of the casing adjacent to the juncture of;two,of the sides, means to supply sand by gravity tothe inlet opening to drop by gravity into the casing, a horizontal inlet for air in one of said two sides discharging parallel to the other of said two sides to cause sand tov swirl around in the casing, there being no air inlet adjacent to the juncture of certain other of the sides whereby sand will build up in the angle of such sides to cushion and scrub the circulating sand, a guiding wall connected at one end to said one of said two sides and parallel to and spaced from the other of said two sides and being shorter than said other of said two sides, the' air and sand inlet openings opening into the space between the guiding wall and said other of said two sides, and a vertical air inlet opening into the bottom of the casing-beneath and vertically aligned with the outlet opening to direct air upwardly through the outlet opening.

4. A spinner for sand cleaning apparatus comprising a rectangular casing, an outlet opening in the central portion of the casing top, an inlet opening for sand in the top-of the casing adjacent to the juncture of two of the sides, a horizontal inlet for air in one of said'two sides discharging parallel to the other of said two sides to cause sand to swirl around in the casing and to build up in adjacent angles formed by meeting of others of the sides; anda guiding wall in the casing connected at-one end to said one of said two sides and extending parallel to and spaced from the other of said two sides and being shorter than said other of the two sides so that air entering through the air inlet flows between the'guiding wall and theother of said two sides, the sand inlet opening into thespacebetween the guiding wall and the other of said two sides.

5. A spinner for sand cleaning apparatus comprising a rectangular casing having a flat top and bottom, acentral outlet openinginthe top, a pair of sand inlet openings adjacent to two opposite corners only of the casing top, air inlet conduits opening horizontally into the casing beneath the sand inlet openings parallel to each other and to opposite side walls of the casing to direct air into the casing parallel to opposite side walls thereof, and guiding, walls parallel to and spaced from said opposite side walls and connected tothe other side walls at said opposite corners and shorter than said opposite side walls,

the sand and air entering the spaces between the guiding walls and said opposite side walls.

6. The spinner of claim 5 including adjustable plates slidably mounted on the casing top and slidable over the sand inlet openings to control the effective size thereof.

7. A spinner for sand cleaning apparatus comprising a rectangular casing having a fiat top and bottom, a central outlet opening in the top, a pair of sand inlet openings adjacent to two opposite corners only of the casing top, air inlet conduits opening horizontally into the casing beneath the sand inlet openings to direct air into the casing parallel to opposite side walls thereof, guiding walls parallel to and spaced from said opposite side walls and connected to the other side walls at said opposite corners and shorter than said opposite side walls, the sand and air entering the spaces between the guiding walls and said opposite side walls, and an upwardly and inwardly tapering cone above the outlet opening receiving sand and air rising through the outlet opening.

8. The spinner of claim 7 in which the top of the casing carries an upwardly extending collar around the outlet opening and the lower end of the cone fits into the collar and rests on the top of the casing.

9. A spinner for sand cleaning apparatus comprising a rectangular casing having a flat top and bottom, a central outlet opening in the top, a pair of sand inlet openings adjacent to two opposite corners only of the casing top, air inlet conduits opening horizontally into the casing beneath the sand inlet openings parallel to each other and to opposite side walls of the casing to direct air into the casing parallel to opposite side walls thereof, and a vertical air inlet conduit opening into the bottom of the casing beneath and vertically aligned with the outlet opening.

10. A spinner for sand cleaning apparatus comprising a rectangular casing having a flat top and bottom, a central outlet opening in the top, a pair of sand inlet openings adjacent to opposite corners of the casing top, air inlet conduits opening horizontally into the casing beneath the sand inlet openings to direct air into the casing parallel to opposite side walls thereof, and guiding walls in the casing parallel to and spaced from said opposite side walls respectively and terminating centrally of the length of the side walls, the air and sand inlets opening into the spaces between the guiding walls and said opposite side walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,573,017 Podszus Feb. 16, 1926 2,032,827 Andrews Mar. 3, 1936 2,690,880 Chatelain Oct. 5, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 469,068 Great Britain July 19, 1937 598,421 Germany June 13, 1934 

